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Everyone knows that mothers give their children three things (they are nothing if not generous!). In addition to life and hypochondria, mothers give their children a sense of nostalgia.

Our old friend Brian DeLeeuw is out in Los Angeles these days, but he was kind enough to take over the Open Bar’s Spotify account this week.

These are some of my favorite tracks in the Sonny Clark catalog. He often played his best, most relaxed music when he was a sideman on somebody else’s session. His solos are sublime, and his complimentary playing behind soloing horns is always tasteful and supportive, even sympathetic, blending blues and swing.

The next installment of our guest DJ series is brought to you by editorial assistant Emma Komlos-Hrobsky. Not only will she point you toward Kelis’s seminal track Milkshake, she’ll also provide all you Intro to Writing adjuncts with material to explain metonymy. You’re welcome… Many are the feuds born of Alanis Morissette’s masterwork “Ironic.”  It [...]

For your Monday afternoon enjoyment, we bring you part IV of our guest DJ series. You may know him alternately as DJ Mas o Menos or front man for Dick Cheeseburger & The Sliders from Mars, but today, he’s plain ol’ Lance Cleland, Associate Director of the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop.

For your Monday afternoon enjoyment, we bring you part III of our guest DJ series. Enjoy what we’ve been listening to lately, or enjoy feeling all superior to plebeian tastes.

Songs I love usually end up being closely tied to a city or landscape…

What’s a bar without music? Presenting: the The Open Bar Guest DJ series.